Dec 28, 12 at 6:27pmlevi_liverpool

Dont think I've been on these forums for around about a year. And yes yes I know my sig is old.

Just getting stuck into Fm 13, been watching the Liverpool season review 08 - 09 and its inspired me to try and recreate some of the football and tactics we played that season.

Now from my take we played pretty high temp and pressed at all times, played a high line and allowed the full backs to get forward.?

But in big games we were of course more rigid but maintained a high line and continued to press, we always seems deadly on the counter aswell. but on top of this averaged almost 60% in alot of games that season.?

Basically calling on fellow Liverpool fans who remeber that season to help me out here.

we played a 4231 all season relying on mascherano the ball winner and alonso the deep lying playmaker. Riera left for width and Kuyt on the right pressing, going wide, dropping back but also coming inside. and of course Gerrard & Torres the dream partnership (cries)

So maybe a home, away and a champions league tactic I will try and re-create

Thread Recap (last 10 posts from newest to oldest)

Dec 30, 12 at 10:54am

levi_liverpool

You missed out destroying Man Utd 4-1 at Old Trafford and Newcastle United 5-0. As usual it was just too many draws that did us in the end. Losing only 2 in the league wasn't the issue. It was the 11 draws we had. Still, we should've beaten Middlesbrough and Spurs on that form, certainly capable of being an 'Invincibles' side. I still think we should've kept Robbie Keane.

Then it all fell apart the following season when he forced out Xabi Alonso.

I like possession football but if his style gets me results on this game, I'll use it.

Yeah the 4-1 was brilliant! the 4-4 against arsenal aswell.

Yeah if spurs had just sacked Ramos 1 week later...

As for Boro... we started El Zhar, we were asking for trouble..

Well he wanted Xabi to stay that year but his mind was made up, took that kick up the back side for Alonso to have his best season for us yet. Love him back one day, probably my favorite player in football.

Struggling for consistency with this tactic at the moment!

Dec 29, 12 at 10:55am

harbin

You missed out destroying Man Utd 4-1 at Old Trafford and Newcastle United 5-0. As usual it was just too many draws that did us in the end. Losing only 2 in the league wasn't the issue. It was the 11 draws we had. Still, we should've beaten Middlesbrough and Spurs on that form, certainly capable of being an 'Invincibles' side. I still think we should've kept Robbie Keane.

Then it all fell apart the following season when he forced out Xabi Alonso.

I like possession football but if his style gets me results on this game, I'll use it.

Dec 29, 12 at 7:40am

levi_liverpool

Im not 100% going to start this with Liverpool (although probably will) just want to get a tactic to work with a similar style and effectiveness as we were finally at the level Rafa wanted us to be, like machines at times that season, suffocated the position and played at such a tempo at times other teams would be shell shocked. think back to the 4-0 thrashing of madrid, 4-0 aginst blackburn and 5-0 vs Aston Villa as an example of this.

Riera was class that first year with us, added perfect balance to our team at the time, very good technique aswell.

Phelix you say that but if you watch us with or without masch we would keep the ball in cm, recycle it back to our centre backs , keeper and back out again we didnt always go direct or quick we knew when to slow it down and when to raise the tempo, this being the hardest thing to implement.

Like you say Harbin the lack of direct ball when it matters really does make this tactic hard to create.

Determined to get this right though. I want a league one and the a champions league one, anybody remember the difference between our league and champions league set ups? been watching you tube videos and reading match reports aswell.

Harbin if you do have an old tactic lying around like that I'd be interested to see it, was it based on our side from that season or just a set up you used in general that was similar?

Dec 29, 12 at 6:22am

harbin

Severance Riera was a good player, (like Mark Gonzalez who had more potential to become what he did, and quite a few other players like Dossena, Insua, etc)... he just tended to be left out of moves quite alot.

The only player who could replicate Torres' finishing based on attributes is Borini but upfront he is best a poacher, not an complete striker. Despite his 13 finishing, Suarez is still a good finisher.

Yeah the way you set it up seems pretty much exactly how I would, its very hard to master cos we were direct but also at times you watch we played some pretty nice short passing build up, times when we would keep ball and play it around the back then suddenly BANG alonso gerrard torres GOAL! so deadly I miss that season. So hard to create on fm, I guess it will mean having 2 or 3 tactics and playing with the in game shouts even if I am going direct and attacking I can tell the team to retain possession etc and change to control anyway as irl. I think like you say as possession tactics dont really work it puts me off trying to re create a barca style or what Rodgers is trying to do so the 08 09 could be a gem if I can get it working.

That's nearly how I just remember it being setup although I might have an old tactic lying around somewhere like that.

With possession, the biggest challenge is trying to get them to play one-touch football. In my view, players should know within 3 seconds of receiving the ball what to do with it, and in 5 seconds played it on. Instead they sometimes just sit with it before playing it backwards. The other issue is that it lacks directness up front when it matters. Occassionally it works like a charm because the attacking wing back keeps the opposing fullback glued and the rest of the players naturally force the opposition defence open for a runner to move in, but on this game it lacks that direct through ball when it matters.

Not sure if it's tempo that's the matter. I don't necessarily want them to harry the ball straight to the opposition box, just recycle possession and be able to piece together successions of quick short passes.

You don't really have a ready-made replacement for Kuyt, which means your pressing game further up the pitch will be an issue. It would be a very interesting experiment to see if you can re-train Glen Johnson to play higher up the pitch. He has great attacking attributes and will be fantastic at winning the ball back in advanced positions.

That would probably be the best bet for that, but it's hard to find anyone in the current Liverpool squad that put in the hardwork Kuyt did at winning the ball back. Kelly would be able to fill in at RB, but I'm still convinced he should be a CB. Still, Wilson and Coates can become decent CBs so one would have to be left out.

Dec 29, 12 at 5:00am

Severance

I got him on the back of my shirt when we got him because of his (Wes Brown's) goal against United on his debut. Was at my uncle's wedding on that day as well, you have no idea how pissed off I was at him for setting his wedding up on that date

I would play an Anchor Man if I'm honest, think that role suits what Masch used to do for us best, just drop the BWM down a little. It is going to be very interesting to see who comes in in the Gerrard/Torres position, unless Suarez plays where Torres did. I would play Suarez as a Trequarista just behind the striker but I cannot think of anyone who could replicate what Torres was for us. Good luck with this mate, it's something I've considered before, in the end went to try and create my own possession philosophy as none of the others worked.

Dec 29, 12 at 3:40am

Liverpool_96

I don't know either of you, or much about Liverpool in 08. But jesus christ, did you just mention albert riera???

He was a quality player.

Dec 29, 12 at 2:26am

Phelix

It will be a tricky thing to get right. Liverpool under Benitez didn't set out to play a Barcelona style possession game, the high possession was just a by-product of the fact you had Mascherano winning the ball back seemingly at will and Alonso's passing range and vision ensuring that you kept it.

I would set up with a direct approach, but ensure you have Sahin set to hold up the play and Lucas will be a great option to play the Mascherano role.

You don't really have a ready-made replacement for Kuyt, which means your pressing game further up the pitch will be an issue. It would be a very interesting experiment to see if you can re-train Glen Johnson to play higher up the pitch. He has great attacking attributes and will be fantastic at winning the ball back in advanced positions.

Suarez should be the focal point of your attack, albeit he won't be a poacher like Torres was, he should still link well with Gerrard playing in behind him.

Will be interesting to see how you get on.

Dec 29, 12 at 1:20am

jackbauer_1

I don't know either of you, or much about Liverpool in 08. But jesus christ, did you just mention albert riera???

Gerrard would be still be able to pull off either of the CM and the AM positions, along with the right wings or attacking fullbacks, however his best position is always as a second striker in the AM role behind the ST. In team instructions, the DLP would probably be the team playmaker with the ST being set as a target man with 'Run on to Ball' supply. Rigid in defence with perhaps AM and the ST being the only two given full creative freedom to do whatever the hell they please.

Certainly effective, and but for a few signings here and there with a bit more depth in the squad, then it would've been a title winning team. Rafa has everything set up to succeed at Chelsea unfortunately. I like the guy and would wish him well wherever he went but I just want to see Chelsea fail badly.

Would probably see if I could recreate that tactic on FM13 since possession football doesn't work properly. That or go for a pass and move but with a five man midfield.

Yeah the way you set it up seems pretty much exactly how I would, its very hard to master cos we were direct but also at times you watch we played some pretty nice short passing build up, times when we would keep ball and play it around the back then suddenly BANG alonso gerrard torres GOAL! so deadly I miss that season. So hard to create on fm, I guess it will mean having 2 or 3 tactics and playing with the in game shouts even if I am going direct and attacking I can tell the team to retain possession etc and change to control anyway as irl. I think like you say as possession tactics dont really work it puts me off trying to re create a barca style or what Rodgers is trying to do so the 08 09 could be a gem if I can get it working.

Yep, I've just watched the DVD and still dont no how we didnt win, amount of comebacks was absolutely mental. Unlucky defeat to spurs (Arrys first game in charge) and an early goal ruled out against stoke (that was onside) thats why! Ha of course we just didnt have enough firepower when Torres or Gerrard was out I think.

As for Rafa, I met him a couple months back loveliest bloke you could ever meet so friendly, loved him before that let alone after, as much as I cannot stand chelsea I want him to do well there just to prove all the plastic chelsea fans wrong and all the other doubters who call him "defensive" etc.